2005 schedule changes announced - Cleveland

[chicanery]

oops...they're still having it...dang

SPEED WORLD CHALLENGE ADDS CLEVELAND TO 2005 DOCKET EVENT REPLACES ROAD AMERICA WEEKEND

TOPEKA, Kan. (March 1, 2005) -- SCCA Pro Racing Ltd. and the Champ Car Grand Prix of Cleveland announced today the addition of the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT and Touring Car Championships to the June 24-26 event at Burke Lakefront Airport, in Cleveland, Ohio.



The event will replace the Aug. 19-21 race weekend at Road America on both series' schedules.



"We're thrilled with the addition of the Grand Prix of Cleveland to our SPEED World Challenge schedule," SCCA Pro Racing President and CEO Steve Johnson said. "Any time you can race within a metropolitan area, it's a bonus, but Cleveland also offers decades of rich road racing history, with a great layout, great sports fans and great race fans. We know that our brand of racing will be a big hit along the shores of Lake Erie.



"Additionally, from a series standpoint, an event of this stature brings tremendous benefits to our current fans, teams and sponsors."



"We've discussed having the SCCA SPEED World Challenge Championships in Cleveland for some time, and are happy to make that a reality in 2005," Champ Car Grand Prix of Cleveland General Manager Rena Shanaman said. "These series bring a unique form of racing with cars that even casual race fans and automotive enthusiasts can relate to. We believe that we've made a tremendous event even better with the addition of the SPEED World Challenge at the Grand Prix of Cleveland."



The 2005 Champ Car Grand Prix of Cleveland marks the 24th-consecutive event at Burke Lakefront Airport, which sits minutes away from both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Cleveland Browns Stadium along the Lake Erie shoreline. Headlined by Sunday's Champ Car World Series race, the event will feature a Saturday afternoon race for the SPEED Touring Car Championship and a Sunday afternoon SPEED GT race immediately following the Champ Car Grand Prix of Cleveland.



The addition of Cleveland maintains the 11-race SCCA SPEED World Challenge schedule, as the Road America event was dropped after an event schedule acceptable to the series could not be reached.



This marks the second Cleveland appearance for World Challenge, having also run at Burke Lakefront Airport in 1992.



SCCA SPEED World Challenge



The SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT and Touring Car Championships are regarded as the top production based road racing series in the world, taking the cars that you drive, or you wish you were driving, and racing them in the most intense and easily understood format possible. From standing start to the finish 50 minutes later, SPEED World Challenge is "everything you dreamed road racing would be." For more information, please visit www.world-challenge.com.



For Champ Car Grand Prix of Cleveland information, please visit www.grandprixofcleveland.com.

-scca pro racing-

[SactoIndyFan]

From standing start to the finish 50 minutes later, SPEED World Challenge is "everything you dreamed road racing would be."

Oooohh 50 mins

[Jim Wilke]

is "everything you dreamed road racing would be."

I dreamed road racing would be longer.

[Doc Austin]

50 minutes in a closed car is a long time to be in the car working out during late June heat in Cleveland. I doubt even a few here could take it. Maybe some of our cyclists, but probably no one else.

[Jim Wilke]

Some truth to that. I went through the Bondurant course in 90+ temps and some of the other guys - not me of course! - were pulling in to rest and get water. The other guys, mind you....

[Doc Austin]

Originally posted by Jim Wilke
Some truth to that. I went through the Bondurant course in 90+ temps and some of the other guys - not me of course! - were pulling in to rest and get water. The other guys, mind you....

Not everyone is tough enough to ride steel.

[Richard Kimble]

''From standing start to the finish 50 minutes later, SPEED World Challenge is "everything you dreamed road racing would be."


I guess the fans will find it interesting,compared to the headliner.

[tbyars]

Originally posted by chicanery
they're still having it

Sounds like you had some serious doubts. You must know something I didn't. I never doubted it for this year.

[chicanery]

Originally posted by tbyars
Sounds like you had some serious doubts. You must know something I didn't. I never doubted it for this year.

I take it that sarcasm isn't your forte.

[tbyars]

Originally posted by chicanery
I take it that sarcasm isn't your forte.

Are you telling us there are "hidden meanings" in your posts? Should we not take what you say at face value? I kind of thought the point around here was say what you mean and mean what you say.

It appeared to me you were somewhat dissappointed in your original post that the race hadn't been cancelled.

Bad fan!

[dreamracer]

Originally posted by Richard Kimble
''From standing start to the finish 50 minutes later, SPEED World Challenge is "everything you dreamed road racing would be."


I guess the fans will find it interesting,compared to the headliner.

Speed World Challenge was far more interesting than much of what ALMS had to offer last year when it ran on the same weekend here in puddle town. It's a fun 50 minutes. The Cadillac CTS-V is sweet. Basically it has the running gear of a C5-R.

[Jakester]

Oooohh 50 mins

And IPS races are how long?

Speed World Challenge offers some of the best road racing in the US right now, as well as using cars the fans can actually relate to.

While not on the dollar level of IRL or NASCAR, the series can also boast manufacturer involvement from Cadillac, Chevy, Mazda, Acura, Dodge, and Audi, as well as limited factory support from Porsche, BMW, and others.

[BlueStang]

While it does replace an event on the SCCA schedule, ChampCar has been going there for a while... how does a long-standing venue replace another on their schedule (seeing as how they are not racing there twice)?

Also, why is SCCA not racing at R/A?

[nascarnation]

Originally posted by Jim Wilke
Some truth to that. I went through the Bondurant course in 90+ temps and some of the other guys - not me of course! - were pulling in to rest and get water. The other guys, mind you....

I went to Bondurant in 73 at Ontario.
Being from the midwest I had no clue what "smog" was.
Every afternoon it was major lung burn time.